“NO dog of mine is ever going to wear a jacket,” pronounced my husband as severely as any Victorian papa, revolted at the idea of being seen out with something so unmanly.

I’d describe that remark as a hostage to fortune.

All I’d suggested, tentatively, was that a cosy coat might help to keep my thin-skinned lurcher snug in the cold.

But he sounded so appalled, I didn’t pursue it.

Now, however, Poppy needs to stay dry on her walks until her injury heals. (Doing nicely, thank you.) Lo and behold! A doggy raincoat has appeared in our household.

Never say never, that’s a good motto.

Wimp is the word for me, where wet and gusty weather is concerned.

I love our market – when it’s not raining.

Traipsing around town with a soggy reusable bag full of sopping shopping is one definition of misery.

So this week it’s been a no-go zone.

But it’s the best place to shop for great value fruit and veg, pet paraphernalia, herbs and spices, locally produced and welfare-friendly meat.

You can pick up a watch battery or a tea towel, nibble on a few olives or a Thai takeaway … I even bought a dress there last summer.

Salisbury City Council has put a lot of effort into increasing the number of days when there’s a market on, and the types of goods on offer.

Now it’s deservedly been given an official pat on the back in the shape of a national award for the best large community market.

I grew up in Essex, and I remember Romford’s huge market as a place of immense fascination, largely because it still sold livestock.

There were stalls featuring pigs (scary to me as a small child, with their unpredictable squeals and grunts), puppies, kittens … and whenever our poor parents took us there they’d have to put up with our pleas, and the beseeching eyes of those furry babies. I’d have taken the lot home.

When so many markets have shrunk away to nothing, I’m glad both of these ancient institutions are hanging on.

At a recent Guildhall meeting, Matthew Dean, the Conservative group leader on the city council, declared that it would be “appropriate” to look at a “significant increase” in fees for market stallholders next year (i.e. not until after the local government elections).

The council spends substantial sums collecting market waste and the principle that ‘the polluter pays’ is not an unreasonable one.

But you could argue that every market customer helps cause that waste, and that our taxes ought to cover the cost.

Or that people who shop in the market also patronise our stores and cafes, boosting the economy.

As councillor Ian Tomes, who runs a petfood stall, pointed out, the market’s not as busy as it used to be.

These are fragile times for small businesses, whether they operate from shops or stalls, and the last thing we want is to frighten them away.

It’s a tough call.

anneriddle36@gmail.com